Pygmalion

by George Bernard Shaw and directed by Mollie Eliza Manns

The maskers presented Pygmalion at the Nuffield Theatre Southampton from Tuesday 18th January to Saturday 22nd January 2005.

The Director, Mollie Eliza Manns wrote; Bernard Shaw, as his family wish him to be known, declared - "I am a moral revolutionary, interested, not in class war, but in the struggle between human vitality and the artificial struggle of morality, and distinguishing, not between capitalist and proletarian, but between moralist and natural historian."

Some of the ideas about class and morality are expressed in Pygmalion, particularly in some of the speeches delivered by Alfred Doolittle, arguably Shaw's mouthpiece. In the story of Ovid, Pygmalion was a sculptor who carved his perfect woman who, when she came to life, was the ideal woman who always did as he bade her!! Eliza Doolittle did not always do as ordered by Professor Higgins. However he did create a new woman capable of becoming almost anything she wished.

It is fascinating to ponder what she may have become - especially after the world changed in 1914.

In his preface to Pygmalion Shaw wrote - "The English have no respect for their language, and will not teach their children to speak it. They spell it so abominably that no man can teach himself what it sounds like. It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him. German and Spanish are accessible to foreigners: English is not accessible even to Englishmen. The reformer England needs today is an energetic phonetic enthusiast: that is why I have made such a one the hero of this popular play".

Photographs by courtesy of Clive Weeks ( www.cwphotos.co.uk )

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The Cast

The Cast
Child 1	Olivia Thomas
Child 2	Georgia Griffiths-Hackett
Child 3	Ce-nedra Browne
Child 4	Talison Browne
Prostitute 1	Rachel Thomas
Prostitute 2	Sarah russell
Client	Jonny Hearn
Flower Girl 1	Nicky Lee
Flower Girl 2	Alex Austin
Beggar	Ron Randall
Theatre goer 1	Alan Watson
Theatre goer 2	Jo Iacovou
Theatre goer 3	David Collis
Theatre goer 4	Moyra Allen
Pick pocket	Richard Hackett
Bystander	Jez Minns
Sarcstic bystander	Adam Taussik
Freddie Aynsford-Hill	Matt Avery
Clara Eynsford-Hill	Rachael Courage
Mrs. Eynsford-Hill	Hazel Burrows
Eliza Doolittle	Karen Bridle
Colonel Pickering	Guy Boney
Professor Henry Higgins	Ian Morley
Mrs. Pearce	Christine Baker
Alfred Doolittle	Albie Minns
Mrs Higgins	Avril Woodward
Parlour Maid 1	Jo Iacovou
Parlour Maid 2	Alex Austin

The Crew

The Crew
Director	Mollie Eliza Manns
Production Manager	Richard Hackett
Costumes	Serena Brown
Lighting Design	Colin Maltby
Lighting Assistants	Paul Mills, David Fancett, Tony Lawther
Sound	Martin Clift
Stage Manager	Angie Barks
Markeiting	Angie Stansbridge
Properties	Gill Buchanan, Ella Lockett, Liz Hall,Alison Tebutt, Maria Head
Set Design	John Hamon
Set Construction	David Jupp, Graham Buchanan, John Hamon
Photography	Clive Weeks
Poster Design	John Hamon
Stage Crew	Phil Moody, Ralph Bateman, John Johns, Mark Scobles,           Adrian Davis, Vijay Desai, Anne Waggott

Our thanks to;

Hampshire Museum Service.
Southampton Heritage Services.
Worsfords.
Grace McGowan for her hard work on this production.
Members of Maskers for loaning props and furniture.